Giddy gardener

This is my fourth year of serious gardening, and I'm still not over it. And if other gardening bloggers I read are any indication, you never do get over it. In fact, I don't even think our Amish neighbors ever get over it. Whenever I stop by there for milk, the conversation turns to gardening: How are your tomatoes? Did you get many strawberries? My rhubarb is out of control! Have you seen the hibiscus/butterfly bush/hydrangeas this year?

We had the last of the lettuce in a salad last night, to which I added homegrown onions. The dressing was laced with homegrown garlic and homegrown cilantro (which is out of control, I've never had this much cilantro before. I'm rich with cilantro!) I don't think we're going to get a June tomato (other than cherry-sized), but there's still two days left and it's going to be hot-hot-hot, so you never know.

I'm not trying to grow enough food to feed my husband and me for a year. I'm pretty sure I'll have enough tomatoes and garlic to last until next year's harvest, barring any unforeseen circumstances – blight, blossom rot, hornworms – gardening is an adventure! But I'll go back to picking up organic romaine at Tiny Kroger until I can plant more greens later this summer. (Yes, I'm going to try a little fall gardening.) Much of my garden is fallow this year as I attempt to improve the soil for full production next spring.

I miss fresh green beans, but have been enjoying snow peas. I didn't plant a single cucumber, but I've picked the first zucchini. The few peppers I put in are already yellow, well on their way to red.

The herb garden is glorious, as is the lush landscape bed I planted last year. I never thought I'd be a flower gardener, but last night I dreamed about how I'm going to improve the view as we come up the driveway. Another project!

It never ends. And you never get over it. And that, as Martha would say, is a Good Thing.